Politics & Government

Update: Son of Councilman Ewin Arrested on Parole Violation at Trolley

J. Corban Ewin, 31, served eight years after attempted murder conviction. He was arrested at Spring Street station on a no-bail warrant.

A grown son of Councilman Ernie Ewin was arrested Wednesday at the Spring Street trolley station on a warrant for parole violation, authorities said Thursday.

Arrested was J. Corban Ernest Ewin, 31, said La Mesa police Capt. Carlos Medero.

Luis Patino, a spokesman for the state Department of Corrections, said Ewin was sentenced in August 2003 after being found guilty of attempted murder in the first degree.

“He was arrested [Wednesday] for absconding,” Patino said in a phone interview from Sacramento.

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Because he was registered as a transient, Ewin was required to stay in contact with his parole agent every day, and “he didn’t report as a … parolee,” Patino said.

His sentence was originally for 10 years, but he was paroled after serving at least 85 percent of his sentence, he said. Ewin was paroled on Sept. 2, 2011.

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A police arrest report listed his name as “J. Ernest Ewin” with a birthdate of Aug. 13, 1980, but Medero said a formal police report said he had four names.

Ewin, listed as a transient, was arrested at 11:44 a.m. on a no-bail warrant issued by the state Department of Corrections, Medero said. 

A little after 9 a.m. Thursday, Councilman Ewin said via email: “This is the first I was made aware” and added details on his name and the fact he doesn't live at home.

About 12:55 p.m., Ewin added: “Unless there were circumstances the LMPD felt warranted further information, I can add no further information beyond what you have. Our son, J Corban Ernest Ewin, is 31 and does not live with us.”

Medero had no information on Ewin's criminal record but said the arrest was made as a result of a radio call to a dispatcher. He said most likely two officers were sent to make the arrest—“that's just common practice.”

Ewin, who last won re-election to a four-year term in November 2010, has four children with his wife, Nancy, a lawyer.

Ewin was a founding member of the San Diego Trolley Board of Directors and  is the city's representative on the Metropolitan Transit Board Executive Committee,  which oversees trolley stations.

In June 2004, the senior Ewin watched with pride as his son received his high school equivalency degree in Otay Mesa ceremonies for inmates of the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility.


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